Recap: Middle Tennessee 56, Vanderbilt 52

December 21, 2012|Reuters

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Recap: Middle Tennessee 56, Vanderbilt 52

Middle Tennessee 56, Vanderbilt 52: Guard Bruce Massey scored 17 points and swingman Kerry Hammonds added 11 as the Blue Raiders rallied from a nine-point deficit in the final nine minutes to defeat the Commodores for the first time since 1995.

Guard Kedren Johnson had a game-high 25 points for Vanderbilt (5-5), which appeared to be in control of the game after Johnson's jumper made it 49-40 with 10 minutes remaining.

But Middle Tennessee (9-3) held the Commodores to just three points and one field goal the rest of the way and took a 51-50 lead on a layup by guard Raymond Cintron with 3:33 remaining.

Johnson put Vandy back ahead, 52-51, with a layup with 1:58 left but the Blue Raiders took the lead for good when penetrating guard Marcos Knight delivered a laser pass to his brother Tweety Knight slashing under the basket for a layup that made it 53-52 with 1:09 to go.

Hammonds then increased the lead to three when he stole the ball from Johnson and drove for a layup, and Cintron sealed the win a few seconds later when he sank the first of two free throws.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Middle Tennessee was designated as the home team even though the game was played on a neutral court, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. ... Vanderbilt had won five in a row over the Blue Raiders and 17 of the previous 18 meetings. ... Johnson, who averaged just 3.1 points last season, had his third game of 20 or more points.